Delusions Of Grandeur welcomes underground UK house hero Mark E for his debut release for the label. Mark E has crafted a distinct and original sound that is uniquely blue collar and utilitarian classic, deep house, with a tinge of disco warmth. The “Leaning Into The Light” EP is taking us on a deep trip across five stunning and expansive productions which will leave you well and truly spellbound.
Konerytmi is back for his final EP on the Telomere series. Here we have a six tracks mini LP, with a blend of breaks, electro, IDM and tech house, there’s something for all hours of the night.
Empathy is the codeword when it comes to The AM’s second solo EP: The ‘Sexworker’ EP. Sat in a not-so distant neon tomorrow, downtown Detroit, this is the vivid concept and narrative conjured by Detroit native, violinist-turned-techno artist Ann-Marie Teasley. ‘Sexworker’ is another revelation from the agenda-setting artist who’s crafted a completely immersive narrative that ranges from the playful electro beats of ‘Intercosmic Lap Dance’ to the runaway juggernaut ‘Black Galaxy’ (a collaboration with Scan 7’s Track Masta Lou). Each track adding layers of tension and intrigue, cutting through the late night sleaze and exploitation with raw machine soul.
Originally released in 1981, this cosmic italian disco anthem written by Claudio Gizzi has charmed diggers the world over with its subdued mannerism and breathy vocals. Sounding like a Julee Cruise soundtrack cut meeting a Tuscan ‘theque, the song hears Italian TV presenter/actress Patrizia Pellegrino utter deep-resonating lyrics into a funky and dark beatscape, in what has been described as an ‘erotic futuristic ode to the cosmos’. Remastered and pressed to wax once more for your pleasure, ‘Miss You’ is a charmer and relationship-rekindler for the ages.
An Italo Disco rarity from 1985 now available again as a 12” maxi single. On side A there are the rare original versions and as a highlight on side B two new and exclusive remixes by Flemming Dalum and Viktor Ark.
Karlos Moran returns to his own Moran Music Group label (helmed by the people at Klasse Wrecks no less) for his 5th release. Showcasing the producers flair for classic US Deep House tropes and a deft talent when it comes to singing and playing instruments live, MMG005 is collection of 4 tracks of wonderful and positive vibes. Trainspotters might notice something familiar and newcomers might discover a new favourite artist, step into the house of Moran and enjoy.
In the wake of Portable’s acclaimed album My Sentient Shadow comes a trio of remixes which expand on his unique slant on techno and synth-pop. Finding three artists who reflect his own experimental tendencies within dance music, Alan Abraham’s original productions head into unexpected new places while retaining the physical, club-ready energy he manages to instill in his own creations.
Here we have another offering from GB on his Technoindigenous Studies label. The spirit of all his Gifted & Blessed productions remains, but this time the tools used to create the music differ. Upon finding what he thought was an old broken toy Yamaha keyboard tossed in a trash bin, GB decided to take the toy home and see what it did. For years it sat unused while he kept creating with his usual analogue setup, but he later realized that hidden within the toy keyboard was a vast array of sounds which, via MIDI, he used to produce this offering. Here were have five pieces made with that little old Yamaha synth. This approach sums up what technoindigenous studies is all about: using the technology of those before him to explore uncharted territory with a modern twist.
Alden Tyrell dusts of the Roland MC202 MicroComposer for a 6 track EP based around just the one synth. Easily floating between techno, electro, IDM and ambient this collection shows the versatility of the machine and the producer.
Levon Vincent creates his own tonality using his original pitch designs to take the listener to a place that did not yet exist, whilst maintaining priority dance floor focus. The Niresa tracks are using such unique musical intervals that every listener can decide where the music is taking them, and there is no wrong answer. Levon says, ”These are tracks for astral planing. The beauty of creating your own tonal dialog each time you work is that you can literally take the listener somewhere new and un-discovered with each new release.”
The Observatory is one of those last few bands that can change and become your life. Stuck in Singapore, the wilful outlier of Southeast Asia, this ever-shifting group stubbornly evolves past its roots, most recently in an more improvisational, instrumental, and noise-adjacent territories in an EP with collaborator Haino Keiji. In “Demon State”, Dharma and Cheryl Ong plus Yuen Chee Wai continue The Observatory’s bold partnerships, this time with electronic musician Koichi Shimizu. Together, they finally reach this long-gestating, total (yet I’m sure temporary), and rhythm-focused, electronic reinvention of The Obs—while briefly nodding to their past. The road is long; “Demon State” is one pit stop in glorious hell. Partly stemming from a casual, improv studio session with Koichi in early 2020, the eight tracks on “Demon State” – their first release on the Midnight Shift label – were formed from a gradual accumulation of sonic layers; they were foraged, recycled, and pieced together remotely also from solo bedroom recordings, a historical sample, nonhuman beats and effects, as well as journals and junk.
Unmistakably Cio D’Or, Polar Q’s eight tracks explore ambient and cinematic techno, before dissolving into broken-beat, aquatic compositions from the outer reaches.
A year on from the first installment, French electro stable Partout are back with a second volume of Everywhere, introducing the world to more of their deep cover operators working their studios in pursuit of machine funk perfection. AV1 leads with some trippy acid goodness, while Binh Baggs has a techier intention. The Trots bring something ghoulish and nasty to the table with ‘Pelusa’, while Yate plays around with trancey tropes in a gnarly rave context. There’s bags of personality spilling out of these tracks, confirming Partout as a reliable destination for refreshing approaches to the electro-techno tradition.
”Pacifying The Population” thrusts us into a world where the dominator culture acts like a ruthless drug cartel, us it’s compliant consumers. The highly-charged ten tracker LP evokes a narcotic frenzy like atmosphere that surges into the consciousness and pulses through the body like a craved hit. Once again Mark Kastner propels us through a unique musical landscape at the very edge of the sonic territories. The dominator culture enforces what is moral, ethical, worthy or valid, selling lifestyles, enforcing rituals, “pushing” values, incentivizing the pathological, imposing our needs and beliefs. Increasingly displaying hallmarks of a cruel drug cartel /drug addict, dependency dynamic. The population hooked and enslaved to it’s destructive needs.
Furthur Electronix presents some fresh dance floor bombs from one of the most talented and uprising artists in the Barcelona Underground scene. Tunik, an Argentinian artist based in Barcelona, is still a relative newcomer, but his sound is well developed and shows rich inventions as this new mix of electro and techno proves. ’16Bits Underwater’ opens with crisp, snappy beats and coruscated acid lines, ‘Untitled Break 3 (Bleepy mix)’ has an old school feeling ‘Elektro 02’ is a dark and brain frying workout with superb drum programming before the closer wallows in a more introspective mood.
Peter Raou’s work is deeply inspired by the hardware which he utilizes and most recently has drawn inspiration from the social culture of Leith and Scottish Slang in general. With his latest record ‘Cables Wynd House’ his sound spreads out and explores its absolute limits.
Cult Argentinian darkwave act Euroshima’s Gala sees a vinyl reissue courtesy of Dark Entries. Euroshima was formed in 1986 by Fabián Iribarne, José Wyszogrod, Ricardo Parrabere, and vocalist Wanda. Originally released in 1987 on Polygram, Gala was a success throughout South America. But to the band’s dismay, they received minimal support from the record label, which meant the album would linger in obscurity outside of the region. This reissue is co-presented with Twilight Records.
The Hipodrome Of Music 